Postmortem cytology: Alive and well in the practice of autopsy and forensic pathology

Uram–Tuculescu, Cora; Fuller, Christine

doi:10.1002/cncy.21562

Cited by 4 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 10 publications

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“…Scrape cytology, however, should not be the only cytological preparation used in postmortem examinations. The analyses of serous fluids, urine, cerebrospinal fluid, and even touch preparations from bone marrow have long been performed in autopsies with satisfactory results . Although this is beyond the scope of the current study, cytology can also be used in forensic procedures ranging from the simple detection of semen in cases of sexual assault to sophisticated ballistic studies …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The use of cytology has actually been already investigated in some publications with satisfactory results in comparison with surgical specimens, mainly in the diagnosis of neoplasms . It has some clear advantages, including the rapid interpretation of lesions and the simplicity of sampling multiple samples, and, therefore, has emerged as an obvious alternative to histology when a conventional autopsy cannot be performed …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[7][8][9] It has some clear advantages, including the rapid interpretation of lesions and the simplicity of sampling multiple samples, and, therefore, has emerged as an obvious alternative to histology when a conventional autopsy cannot be performed. 10,11 The main objective of the current study was to validate the use of cytology as an alternative and auxiliary method to histology in a prospective consecutive set of autopsies performed at a tertiary center through the comparison of cytological findings with the final gold-standard histological diagnoses.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Use of cytology as an auxiliary diagnostic tool in autopsies

Andrade¹,

Massarente²,

Tormin³

et al. 2016

Cancer Cytopathology

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Use of cytology as an auxiliary diagnostic tool in autopsies

Andrade¹,

Massarente²,

Tormin³

et al. 2016

Cancer Cytopathology

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“…Andrade et al provide evidence showing that postmortem tissue scrapings have reasonable accuracy in comparison with histology, and they suggest the use of scraping cytology as a means of performing a minimally invasive autopsy. A recent editorial supports the use of cytology in providing rapid and more comprehensive provisional reports . The accuracy and utility of postmortem cytology for both neoplastic and nonneoplastic conditions are supported by 3 previously published cytology‐histology/final autopsy diagnosis correlation studies that used scrapings and fine‐needle aspiration (FNA), touch preparations, and scrapings, respectively.…”

mentioning

confidence: 94%

“…Although cytodiagnosis in the autopsy suite is underused and at least 1 autopsy textbook states that “cytologic examination has little use in standard autopsy practice,” several authors have now attested that cytodiagnostic techniques have considerable value in the autopsy suite …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cytology as a diagnostic tool in the autopsy suite

Schnadig

2016

Cancer Cytopathology

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As a physician who has worked for more than 20 years as both a cytopathologist and an autopsy pathologist for an institution that pioneered the use of the decedent affairs office and places great value on the autopsy, 1,2 it is a pleasure to see articles that tout the value of cytodiagnosis in the autopsy suite. Andrade et al 3 provide evidenceshowing that postmortem tissue scrapings have reasonable accuracy in comparison with histology, and they suggest the use of scraping cytology as a means of performing a minimally invasive autopsy. A recent editorial supports the use of cytology in providing rapid and more comprehensive provisional reports. 4 The accuracy and utility of postmortem cytology for both neoplastic and nonneoplastic conditions are supported by 3 previously published cytology-histology/final autopsy diagnosis correlation studies that used scrapings and fine-needle aspiration (FNA), 5 touch preparations, 6 and scrapings, 7 respectively. It has also been suggested that postmortem cytology has the potential to cut autopsy costs either by providing a rapid, relatively inexpensive cytodiagnosis or by offering a screening tool with which pathologists can select cases that require histology and ancillary studies such as immunohistochemistry. 8 In addition, it has been noted that that postmortem cytologic preparations are of better quality and require less personnel time and equipment than frozen sections and that cytology precludes the potential for cryostat contamination and aerosolization of infectious agents. 7,9One of the arguments for the use of cytodiagnostic techniques in the autopsy is the potential for minimal disruption of the corpus in an era when next-of-kin full-autopsy consent has become more difficult to obtain and decedent affairs officers, trained to communicate with family members, are rare and vanishing. However, cytodiagnostic techniques also have the potential to contribute to the full autopsy, especially in an academic institution 5 where complete autopsies are needed to train house officers and for multidisciplinary conferences. I have used scrapings, FNA smears, and FNA and fluid cytocentrifuge preparations since 1991 to establish preliminary autopsy diagnoses (PADs) and direct the use of ancillary testing such as microbial cultures and special stains. We have limited the use of postmortem cytologic sampling to regions with either visible or palpable lesions, diffuse consolidations, or organs with clinical or radiologic evidence of disease; we have thus increased the likelihood that cytology will provide useful information. Gradually, postmortem cytology has been introduced into our armamentarium of postmortem diagnostic tools and has been used, albeit selectively, at our institution for many years. Whenever possible, a cytopathologist has reviewed cytologic preparations with residents or faculty on the autopsy service before the PAD is issued, and occasionally, images of interesting cytologic findings have been shown during gross organ conferences. Ideally, this should be done af...

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Cytology techniques for minimally invasive molecular autopsies: An opportunity not to be missed

Saieg¹

2018

Cancer Cytopathology

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Postmortem cytology: Alive and well in the practice of autopsy and forensic pathology

Cited by 4 publications

References 10 publications

Use of cytology as an auxiliary diagnostic tool in autopsies

Use of cytology as an auxiliary diagnostic tool in autopsies

Cytology as a diagnostic tool in the autopsy suite

Cytology techniques for minimally invasive molecular autopsies: An opportunity not to be missed

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